Allen Markel, REALTOR® · Texas Premier Realty

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Property Tax Appeal: a free way to have your assessment reviewed

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Short answer

Property Tax Appeal is a client benefit that connects you with independent appeal companies for your county. A company reviews your assessment against recent sales and, if it finds a case, files a protest for you. Companies state that they charge nothing up front and take a share only of any savings, so read the terms first. Texas protests are due by May 15 or 30 days after your notice, whichever is later.

Open Property Tax Appeal

What is Property Tax Appeal?

Every year your county appraisal district sends a notice of appraised value, and you have the right to protest it. A protest is easy to skip because the process looks like work. This page introduces independent companies that can do the paperwork for you, or you can protest yourself.

The companies are not part of my brokerage and I do not file your protest. I chose to offer them as a client benefit, and the protest page lists the ones I recommend for your county.

What do I get?

  • A short form that starts a review of your property against recent sales and market data.
  • If the company finds you may be over-assessed, it prepares the case, files the paperwork with the appraisal district and represents you at the hearing, according to its description.
  • No charge to start, and the company states that it is paid only if it lowers your taxes.
  • A yearly reminder cycle, since assessments change every year.
  • The Property Tax Lookup next door, so you can compare your assessment with nearby homes yourself.

Why did we build it, and who does it help?

Property tax is one of the biggest costs of owning a home in Texas, and it is one you are allowed to contest. I would rather my clients know that than pay a bill they could have questioned.

Homeowners get a low-effort way to have an assessment reviewed. Sellers benefit too, because a lower tax bill can help a home's monthly cost look better to a buyer. Buyers can start the same review the year after they close.

How does it work, and where does the data come from?

You enter your property on the company's form. The company compares it with recent sales and market data using its own methods. Our Property Tax Lookup, built on county tax rolls, is there so you can see nearby assessments for yourself.

Results are never certain, and a protest can end with no change. Deadlines, forms and hearing rules belong to your county appraisal district, so contact it for the current rules. This page is not legal or tax advice.

Sources

  • Texas Tax Code protest deadline, May 15 or 30 days after the notice, whichever is later.
  • County appraisal district notices and rolls, your county's own office is the source of record.
  • The company's own description of its service, read on the tool page, September 25, 2026.

Free with registration

Do I need an account to use it?

Registration is free. This page opens without an account. Signing up with the appeal company is separate from registering with us, and it has its own terms.

Why do we ask you to register?

Some of what we share, like recent sold prices, a home’s sales and listing history, and our home value estimate, comes from or is built on data from the Houston Association of REALTORS® (HAR) MLS. MLS rules let us share that information only with registered visitors. Allen is a REALTOR® licensed by the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC), and he follows those rules because he values his license and your trust. Registration is free.

What else do people ask?

Is this really free?
Starting a review costs nothing. The company states that it charges only if it lowers your taxes and takes a share of the savings. Read its terms before you agree.
When is the deadline?
In Texas a protest is due by May 15 or 30 days after your notice was mailed, whichever is later. Confirm the date with your appraisal district.
Will my taxes go down?
No one can promise that. A review can find nothing, and a protest can end with no change.
Who do I contact about my value?
Your county appraisal district sets the value, and your county tax assessor-collector sends the bill.

Ask Allen about property tax protests

Have a question about property tax protests? Browse the short answers other buyers and sellers have asked, or send me your own. I read every question myself.

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Written by Allen Markel, REALTOR®, Texas Premier Realty, TREC #0658294. Last updated September 25, 2026. Next review December 2026.

This page is educational information, not an appraisal, legal, tax or financial advice. Figures come from the sources named above and can change.

Questions about Property Tax Appeal

What it is

  • Who are the companies you connect me with?

    They are independent property tax appeal companies, not part of our brokerage. We chose to offer them as a client benefit and list the ones we recommend for your county. We do not file your protest, and you should read each company's terms before you sign up.

  • Why do you offer this as a client benefit?

    Property tax is a major cost of owning a home in Texas, and it is one you are allowed to contest. We would rather our clients know that than pay a bill they could have questioned. Whether it helps depends on your property.

  • What is a property tax protest?

    A protest is how an owner asks the county to review the value the appraisal district set for their property. The district sends a notice each year, and the owner, or a representative the owner authorizes, can raise a question about it. The district sets the rules, forms and dates, so contact it for the current process. This is education, not tax advice.

  • Can I protest without using a company at all?

    Many owners handle their own protest with the county appraisal district, which can explain how it takes filings and hearings. A company or tax adviser can do the paperwork and attend the hearing for you, which is a convenience. Which route fits depends on your time and comfort with gathering evidence. For advice on your own case, ask a CPA or tax adviser.

  • Do I need to protest every year?

    No one has to. It is your choice each year. The district sets a new value every year and sends a fresh notice, so you can decide again each spring. A protest that ended with no change last year says little about this year, since the market and the district's numbers move. A CPA or tax adviser can help you weigh it for your home.

  • What should I gather before I protest?

    Start with your notice from the appraisal district. Then collect anything that bears on the value: recent sales of similar homes nearby, photos of condition problems, repair estimates and anything the district may have wrong, such as size or features. Our Property Tax Lookup shows nearby properties for a sanity check. A CPA or tax adviser can advise on your case.

  • Which office or person handles which part of a protest?

    The appraisal district sets the value and runs the process. The owner decides whether to protest and may authorize a company or tax adviser to act. The tax office sends the bill after values and rates are set. A REALTOR like us can show what the data says and point you to the right office, but we do not file your protest.

  • When is the protest deadline?

    The page says protests are due by May 15 or 30 days after your notice, whichever is later. Your notice and your appraisal district show the exact date for your property, so confirm it there. Start gathering information as soon as the notice arrives, since waiting is the common way owners lose the chance.

  • What happens if the protest ends with no change?

    Then the value and the bill stay as the district set them, and nothing is promised either way. The page says a protest can end with no change. Next year brings a new notice, so you can decide again. Ask your appraisal district what other steps exist after a hearing, and a tax adviser how they apply to you.

  • Is a protest worth the effort on a smaller bill?

    It depends on your property, the evidence you can gather and what the service costs. If a company takes a share of any savings, a small change means a small amount left for you. Weigh the time, the fee and the chance of no change. A CPA or tax adviser can help you decide for your own case.

  • Can I protest the year I buy a home?

    The page says buyers can start the same review the year after they close. Ask your appraisal district what applies to the year you buy and when your first notice arrives. Keep each yearly notice, and put the date on your calendar so you can decide each spring.

What you get

  • What happens if the company finds I may be over-assessed?

    According to the company's description, it prepares the case, files the paperwork with the appraisal district and represents you at the hearing. A review can also find nothing, and a protest can end with no change, so no outcome is promised.

  • Does it cost anything to start a review?

    Starting costs nothing, and the company states that it is paid only if it lowers your taxes, usually through a share of the savings. Since each company sets its own terms, read them before you agree.

  • What do the appeal companies charge?

    Companies state that they charge nothing up front and take a share of any savings, and each sets its own terms. Ask for the fee in writing, including what it is a share of and whether anything is due up front. Read the terms before you agree, and ask a CPA or tax adviser if you are unsure.

  • Do I have to attend the hearing myself?

    That depends on how you file. An owner can present their own protest, or can authorize a company or representative to appear. The appraisal district explains how hearings work in your county. Ask whoever you hire to put in writing who will attend and what they are authorized to do.

Next steps

  • What should I check before I agree to use an appeal company?

    Check that the person is registered as a property tax consultant, get the fee in writing including whether anything is due up front, and ask whether the service renews on its own each year. Read the terms, and be careful with anyone who promises a specific result.

  • Do I need to register with you to start a review?

    No. The page opens without an account. Signing up with the appeal company is separate from registering with us, and it has its own terms.

  • Which tools pair with Property Tax Appeal?

    The Property Tax Lookup shows the tax bill split by taxing unit and the nearest properties, the Home Report shows yearly costs for a home, and the Deal Evaluator shows how a price compares with recent sales.

  • When is it worth talking to you about my tax bill?

    When the bill surprises you, when you are comparing two homes or when you plan to sell. We can show what the data says and point you to the right office. We do not give tax advice, but we can help you ask the right questions.

  • What happens if I miss the protest deadline?

    We cannot advise on your specific case, so call your county appraisal district right away and ask what options remain for this year. Dates come from the district and your notice, so read the notice carefully when it arrives. Each year brings a new notice, which is another chance to decide, and putting it off is the common mistake.

  • What is the difference between the appraisal district, the tax office and a protest company?

    The appraisal district sets the value and handles protests. The tax office sends the bill and collects payment. A protest company is an independent business you may hire to prepare and present your case, and it is not part of our brokerage. Each does a different job, so call the right office for the right question.

  • What does a protest look like for a home with damage or needed repairs?

    Condition can matter to value, so owners often gather photos and repair estimates along with recent sales of similar homes. The appraisal district decides what weight to give them. Ask the district how it wants evidence presented, and a CPA or tax adviser how it fits your case.

  • How early should I start preparing a protest?

    As soon as your notice arrives, because the dates are tied to it. Read the notice, mark the date, compare it with nearby homes using the Property Tax Lookup and decide whether to file yourself or use a company. Procrastination is the reader's worst enemy here, since the window is limited.

Using it when buying

  • I just bought a home. When can I start a review?

    Buyers can start the same review the year after they close, since the notice and the right to protest come with each year's valuation. Keep your yearly notice when it arrives so you can decide each spring.

Using it when selling

  • How does a lower tax bill help me as a seller?

    A lower tax bill can make a home's monthly cost look better to a buyer. Whether a review will lower yours depends on your property and the evidence. If you are planning to sell, talk to us about the timing.

Where the data comes from

  • How does the company decide I might be over-assessed?

    It compares your property with recent sales and market data using its own methods. We do not control those methods. Our Property Tax Lookup lets you see nearby bills yourself, so you can form your own sense before or after.

  • Where do the facts on this page come from?

    From the Texas Tax Code for the protest deadline, from county appraisal district notices and records, and from the company's own description of its service, read on the tool page. Your county's own office is the source of record.

Reading the results

  • How can I compare my assessment with nearby homes myself?

    Use the Property Tax Lookup next door, which shows the closest properties and their bills for a sanity check. Differences can have good reasons, so a gap is a question to ask, not proof of a problem.

  • Does a protest change my mortgage payment?

    Only if it changes your tax bill, and then only through your escrow. If your taxes are paid through escrow, your loan servicer adjusts the monthly amount after it sees the new bill, often at its annual review. Ask your servicer how and when it updates the amount.

Limits

  • Will a lower assessment change what my home is worth on the market?

    No. County values are set for taxation and often differ from market value, so a change in one does not move the other. The appeal affects your tax bill, not what a buyer would pay.

  • Is a protest the same as claiming an exemption?

    No. A protest disputes the value the district assigned. An exemption is a separate reduction that applies to the bill for qualifying homeowners. Ask your county appraisal district about the rules for each.

  • Does Allen recommend a protest for everyone?

    No. Whether it makes sense depends on your property, your notice and your evidence. We do not give tax advice. We offer the companies as a client benefit, we do not file your protest, and we can show what the data says and point you to the right office. A CPA or tax adviser can advise on your case.

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